


Meeting the Godfather

by AnabelleBlack20



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abusive Dursley Family (Harry Potter), BAMF Sirius Black, Best godfather ever, Child Abuse, Cute, Dadfoot, Drama, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Forehead Kisses, Gen, Harry and Sirius bonding, Hugs, No Slash, Parent Sirius Black, Platonic Cuddling, Precious Harry Potter, Protective Sirius Black, Sirius Black Adopts Harry Potter, Sirius Black Free from Azkaban, Smol Harry Potter, mean Dursleys get what they deserve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-07-02 18:39:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15802311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnabelleBlack20/pseuds/AnabelleBlack20
Summary: Post First year. When Vernon beat his freakish nephew one night, he hadn't expected the brat's godfather to show up. Or: the one in which Vernon Dursley and the rest of his vile family receive exactly what they deserve.Featuring Protective!Sirius Black and Adorable!Harry Potter.





	1. Chapter 1

Sirius stared at the forlorn face and mentally cursed.

"Is there really nothing you can do, Sirius?"

The man shook his head, equally disappointed. "I'm sorry, kiddo. I'm stuck here for at least a week. The Healers refuse to budge. They claim that I'm 'not fit to leave.' Bunch of nutters if you ask me."

Sirius hadn't planned on spending his newfound freedom lying on a bed in St. Mungo's Hospital. But it was a mandatory procedure.

Harry Potter, his eleven year old godson had just completed his first year at Hogwarts. He'd reunited with the boy immediately after his acquittal and the two of them had hit it off.

When Harry was just a baby, he'd loved the little pup like his own. Now, he found that this hadn't changed one bit.

Normally, eleven year old boys were supposed be troublesome, snot nosed little brats. But Harry could only be described as adorable.

At least that was Sirius' opinion. He was polite, too well mannered and still quite shy around Sirius, despite meeting a couple of times.

Harry was Sirius' regular visitor. Now that his lessons for the year had ended, he came by almost everyday. The two of them would talk for hours together, eat lunch and then Harry would go back in the evening.

The boy had been elated when Sirius had offered him to come and live at Black Manor. He had surprised Sirius with an enthusiastic hug before returning to his shy sweet self.

"Can't I stay here with you? I could sleep on the couch."

The Hospital wouldn't allow anyone, much less a child to stay the night. "I'm afraid not, pup. I hate this just as much as you do. But it's just a week, kiddo. You won't even realise how time flew by."

Harry was very reluctant to return to his muggle relatives. Sirius had met the Dursleys once, years ago and he wasn't surprised. They were an unpleasant lot, completely against magic.

"You promise you'll come when you're out of here?"

Sirius couldn't help but smile at how young Harry appeared at that moment. "You have my word. As soon as I'm out of here, I'll come and pick you up."

Harry brightened up a little at the man's words.

The Healer dropped in and reminded the duo that visiting hours were over for the day.

"Come and give your godfather a hug." Harry complied and was engulfed by the warmth of the man's embrace.

Hugs were something he had never received as a little boy. So, when his godfather had hugged him for the first time, he was pretty sure he'd turned red. Now, he was getting used to them and relished the feeling.

Sirius pulled back and ruffled Harry's hair. "Don't you worry, pup. The week will be over before you know it. Seven days and you and I will be having the time of our lives."

But Harry couldn't tell the man just how miserable these seven days would be.

*****

That night, Harry sat on his bed, unable to fall asleep. Tomorrow, he would have to return to the Dursleys. He was dreading it more and more.

After everything that had happened last year with the muggles, he knew exactly what to expect when he went back. The beatings would remain the same.

While he could scare Dudley away by pretending to do magic, he couldn't use the same trick on Vernon and Petunia. Since Lily had attended Hogwarts, Petunia knew about the underage rule.

His chores would increase, his portion of meals would decrease. Even if it was only seven days, Harry knew that it would drag out as much as possible.

When Sirius had offered to take him in, he had been beside himself with joy. He still was. He liked the man, a lot. Sirius was the first adult Harry was starting to trust.

But no matter how much he trusted Sirius, he couldn't tell him about what went on at the Dursleys.

He simply couldn't.

******

Harry hauled his trunk and cage out of King Cross Station as he trailed after the rest of his family.

He'd already bid goodbye to his friends before meeting the muggles. Needless to say, he had received a _warm_ welcome from them.

Dudley had given him a less than gentle slap on the head, Petunia had sniffed at him disdainfully and Vernon had jerked his head towards the exit.

The ride back to Number Four, Privet Drive was uncomfortable. He sat with Hegwig's cage on his lap. The owl was clearly unhappy.

When they arrived, Vernon opened the car door and nodded sharply for Harry to come out. "Go upstairs, put your trunk and that beast in your room and come down, boy. Petunia and I need to remind you of some things."

Harry nodded silently. He had learned long ago that it was useless to argue with the beefy man.

He went to his room and put the trunk on the bed. He set Hedwig's cage on top of it. "Please be quiet, girl. I don't want Uncle Vernon to hurt you." He clutched the letter in his pocket.

Sirius had told him to give it to the Dursleys. It was regarding the guardianship and to inform them that he'd be collecting Harry in a week's time.

When he went downstairs, he found the couple seated on the sofa.

"Now you listen and listen well, boy. I don't care what they taught you in that awful school and what other freaks you met. Under my roof, you shall obey our rules, no matter how old you are."

Harry took out the letter from his pocket and held it out to Vernon. The man snatched it from him. "What's the meaning of this?"

"It's from my godfather."

"Godfather? You don't have a ruddy godfather, boy. You don't have anyone."

"You're wrong, Uncle. I do have a godfather. He just so happens to be my legal guardian."

Husband and wife stared at each other nervously before tearing open the envelope. They quickly read through the contents and glanced up at Harry.

"It says here that he will be coming to pick you up on Saturday? This Sirius Black, he's taking you in? The name sounds a bit familiar." Petunia sniffed, apparently appalled at the thought of another freak in her precious neighbourhood.

Harry nodded, failing to hide his glee. He couldn't wait to get out of here.

"Well, until your godfather comes, you still live here, don't you? You eat our food and sleep under this roof. You follow our rules. Is that understood?"

Harry nodded, already hating being back here.

Vernon wasn't satisfied. "I asked, is that understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"One more thing, boy. Whatever freakishness that you did over there better not happen in here. Any attitude or insolence from you, I _will_ take care of it. You've been warned."

Despite his restraint, Harry flinched. He knew exactly what 'take care' meant. The Dursleys were definitely furious about what had happened last year.

Although Harry had been at Hogwarts for the past year, he was still all too familiar with the sting of the belt and his Uncle's heavy hand.

"Out, now. We expect dinner by eight."

And so his chores began.

******

Harry winced as he scrubbed the dishes. His left ear was throbbing an angry red, thanks to Vernon's temper.

The past few days had been rough but not unbearable. So far, he had managed to get away with nothing more than a few slaps to the face or at the most, a whack with his Aunt's pan. According to Vernon, his misdemeanours were laziness, freakishness and his general existence.

That morning, he didn't know how it had happened, but he'd overslept. Consequently, he hadn't been able to wake up in time to prepare breakfast.

Vernon, who was already in a _fine_ mood because of some problems at work, had barged into Harry's room and he was harshly roused by a glass of ice cold water in the face.

The walrus of a man had twisted Harry's ear viciously and dragged him downstairs before pushing him into the kitchen.

He had hurriedly gotten to work, all the while holding back his tears.

They weren't tears of sadness.

It was anger, pain, frustration and utter misery.

So now, here he was, doing the dishes. After this, he would have to work on the garden.

_Three days more to go. Just three more days._

There was a knock on the door. Petunia was the one who answered it, since Harry was inside and Vernon and Dudley weren't at home.

He couldn't here who his aunt was talking to. " _Harry_ , come here!"

That was funny. None of the Dursleys ever called him by name. Frowning, he washed and dried his hands and went to the door.

His jaw nearly dropped in surprise.

"Remus?"

The man was standing at the door with a pleasant expression that contrasted Petunia's stricken one.

"Hello, Harry. I just dropped in to ask if you were up for a visit."

"Visit?"

"Yeah. Sirius is bored out of his mind. He wanted to know if you would want to co—"

"Absolutely! Let's go." He didn't even bother to look at Petunia. He couldn't wait to see his godfather. He had missed the man more than expected.

He didn't dare to look at Aunt Petunia's face since he was sure she'd be livid. "Get out of here, boy. Be sure to return before your Uncle arrives."

What she really meant was: If you're late in preparing tonight's dinner, Vernon will skin you alive and I will let him.

Harry didn't bother replying. He was just so happy that he'd get to see his godfather. He raced back inside to grab his jacket.

When he came back downstairs, Remus was standing in the living room, much to his Aunt's terror. "Your Aunt was kind enough to let us use her fireplace."

Harry knew that the woman was far too terrified to open her mouth and say no. Having used the floo a few times before while visiting Sirius, he had grown accustomed to it.

Ignoring the nasty glare being sent his way, Harry accepted the floo powder from Remus and stepped inside the fireplace. "St. Mungo's Hospital, third floor!"

He reappeared in the familiar place and only a moment later, Remus reappeared next to him. "I need to get going now. I'll be back in the evening to drop you back to your Aunt's house. Will you be able to find Sirius?"

Harry nodded confidently. He found Sirius' room easily and went inside. His face brightened when he saw his godfather. The man was leaning against the cabinet and talking to a nurse.

He grinned when he saw Harry. "Hey, kiddo!"

That one greeting was all it took. Harry almost flew across the room and threw his arms around his godfather's waist. He wasn't sure how or why, but one traitorous tear fell from his eye.

He felt Sirius ruffle his hair as the man often did before strong arms wrapped around him. "It's brilliant to see you, pup."

The nurse had excused herself by the time Harry pulled back. He was embarrassed by his childish behaviour but he didn't regret it. That one hug had made him forget all of that day's unfortunate events.

Sirius mentally frowned when Harry sat down next to him. Something was different about the boy. He couldn't quite place it but it was definitely there.

"How's the house coming along?" Harry asked.

"The house elves finished cleaning it yesterday. We can move in as soon as these Healers let me out of here."

_Was that relief on Harry's face?_

For lunch, Sirius asked his own house elf to get some food for Harry since the hospital only took care of their patients' welfare.

The gesture was a simple one, not even worth noticing. But for Harry, it was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him.

Although the two of them did nothing but talk and play a game of exploding snap, Harry couldn't remember the last time he'd enjoyed himself so much.

And as one often does while having fun, Harry lost track of time. Before he knew it, it was already seven o' clock which meant the end of visiting hours.

As if on cue, Remus walked in. Harry groaned and threw his head against Sirius' shoulder.

The man smiled fondly at the child next to him and pulled him close. "You can come back again tomorrow, pup."

Harry nodded and wrapped his arms around Sirius, burying his face into the man's shoulder, now a little more comfortable with the hugs.

Sirius cupped the back of Harry's head with one hand and waved his new wand over him with the other, without the boy noticing anything.

Remus raised a questioning eyebrow at him but he simply shook his head, indicating that he'd explain the next day.

"Goodnight, pup."

"Night, Sirius," Harry grabbed his jacket and left the room with Remus, all the while hoping that he could have stayed. Hell he was willing to sleep on the bare floor if that's what it took.

Sirius knew that he'd done the right thing by casting a Protection spell on the boy. If anything went wrong, he would be immediately alerted.

That nagging feeling that something was wrong had gotten the better of him and so, he'd cast the charm.

******

When Remus and Harry stepped out of the fireplace at Number Four, Privet Drive, his stomach twisted uncomfortably at the sight.

His Aunt shrieked while Dudley screamed like a baby at the spud den roar of the fireplace. Vernon sputtered, clearly shocked and scared.

He opened his mouth to say something obviously nasty and threatening, the fireplace roared again and Remus came out this time.

Vernon wisely shut his mouth at the sight of the man.

The newcomer smiled genially at him and held out his hand. "You must be Harry's uncle. I'm Remus Lupin."

Vernon didn't shake the hand. He wasn't about to touch another freak and sully himself. He was too much of a coward to to say anything to Remus so he merely nodded and that was about as courteous as he would get.

Remus' smile faltered. He turned to Harry. "I'll see you in the morning, Harry. Goodnight."

And then, just like that, he turned on the spot and was gone with a loud crack. All three of the Muggles screamed, shocked by the events that had just occurred.

But it didn't take very long for that shock to turn into rage.

Harry watched with a growing sense of dread as his Uncle's face became redder by the second.

He was in for it now.

"How dare you, boy! After all I warned you! You dare bring a freak into my good home!"

"He's no—"

_Slap!_

It was harder than Harry had expected. He cupped his left cheek, eyes watering from the sting.

"Quiet! Not another word from you! I've had enough of your impudence!"

_Slap!_

The next blow was dealt to the same cheek with equal force.

"Do you remember what I had told you when you came back from that blasted school?"

Harry remembered all too well.

"You skip your chores! You bring freaks into my house and you think I'll let you get away with it? I'm going to _beat_ that insolence out of you if that's what it's going to take!"

And so it began.


	2. Chapter 2

Sirius flipped through the Quidditch magazine, sitting on the sofa in his hospital room. It was not even seven thirty and still too early to call it a night.

The Healer had conducted the mandatory examination and left only five minutes ago after dropping off his dinner. They wouldn't bother him until tomorrow for breakfast.

_Beep!_

_Beep!_

_Beep!_

Sirius dropped the magazine in his hand and his eyes shot towards his wand which was glowing a bright red.

_Damnit!_

He was on his feet in an instant. He grabbed his wand and pocketed it. The corridor was empty. All patients were in their rooms and the Healers had wrapped up their shift. The night shift Healers wouldn't arrive for the next ten minutes.

He couldn't risk using the floo as it would cause a lot of noise. That left him with only one option.

The black dog ran at top speed, down the stairs and towards the exit. It didn't take him long to get there.

Once outside, he transformed back.

All the while, there was this horrible feeling inside him and worry for his godson only seemed to increase with each second.

_Was he ill? Hurt? Or did the alert have something to do with Harry's relatives?_

_Please be okay, pup._

It had been a while since he'd apparated. Approximately a decade. There was a good chance he might have lost touch. He braced himself and took a deep breath.

_You can do this, Black. You better be able to do this. That boy may need you right now._

Number Four, Privet Drive. He repeated the address in his head and closed his eyes.

And then he was sucked into that familiar tube of darkness.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a Muggle neighbourhood, standing in front of a house. The number four sign was polished and gleaming in the moonlight.

His Animagus senses could make out a variety of noises coming from inside: shouting, sniffling, a thud, the television.

_Dammit! What was going on in there?_

_I'm here now, kiddo._

He went up the front steps of the house and knocked. He hoped Harry was here.

There was some shuffling and the television's volume was turned down. He could hear footsteps approaching and the door opened.

Vernon Dursley was exactly how Harry had described. A walrus of a man with no neck, a red face, bulging eyes and oily hair that had been combed to a side.

He was panting slightly like he had been working hard.

"Can I help you, sir?"

His eyes took in Sirius' dark blue track pants, white t-shirt and home slippers.

"Good evening, Mr. Dursley. My name is Sirius Black, Harry's godfather. I'd like to see my godson for a minute."

The man's eyes widened. "Godson? You're one of them lot! No, you cannot see him now! I ask that you leave immediately. The fr-boy is busy."

Sirius narrowed his eyes at Vernon, noticing the slip. "I insist."

Sirius could practically feel the nervousness and fear radiating from the beefy man. What was he afraid about?

He was hiding something.

When Vernon moved to shut the door, Sirius easily pushed back. Vernon staggered backward from the impact and Sirius took advantage and stepped inside.

He closed the door behind him with a quiet click.

Vernon's face went white as the lock clicked into place. He gulped fearfully. He had a feeling that he'd seen this man somewhere before and was desperately trying to remember where.

There was a gleam in his eyes that almost made Vernon wet himself.

If he found out what Vernon had done...

"I d-demand that you leave now, sir! This is rude and you are trespassing!" What was supposed to sound assertive came out all squeaky.

"Rude? You're the one who isn't allowing me to see my godson. I'm his legal guardian, so I can see him whenever I please. I am not leaving until I've seen the boy."

He heard hushed whispers coming from the living room. Frowning, he brushed past Vernon and through the short hallway.

The Dursley living room was exactly as he'd pictured.

He saw an obese boy sitting on the couch with a horse faced woman next to him. Petunia and Dudley Dursley.

No Harry.

Petunia screamed when she saw him. "Y-You're the man from the news!" She wrapped her arms around her son, almost suffocating him. "You're the mass murderer!"

Petunia clutched her beloved Dudders, afraid for her family's lives. Now she remembered where she had heard the name Sirius Black. He had been on the news a few months ago.

_Was this murderer a freak as well?_

Sirius watched as her entire posture stiffened. Hadn't they announced his innocence in the Muggle world yet?

He then remembered what the Ministry had told him, that it would take a while to smooth things out in the Muggle world and to complete all formalities.

So that's why they were so terrified of him.

But then again, Vernon had paled the moment he'd introduced himself as Harry's godfather.

Then something caught his eye and he saw red.

There, lying on the kitchen counter was a thick leather belt folded in half. Dread filled him and he desperately prayed that this didn't mean what he thought it did.

He whirled around on Vernon, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"Where. Is. He?"

Still petrified, Vernon pointed one meaty finger up the stairs.

"Don't move." He promised himself that he would deal with this bastard later and rushed up the stairs, discreetly locking the front door on his way up.

He reached the top of the stairs in seconds. There were two rooms on his left and one room on his right. The door was shut.

He paused outside the room and listened for any sounds. He could hear soft sniffles coming from inside and they broke his heart.

Worried for the boy Sirius loved as his own, he turned the handle and pushed the door open.

* * *

Harry was curled up on his small, hard and uncomfortable bed, his entire body aching.

His lip was bleeding from the first slap, his scalp was hurting terribly because Vernon had used it to drag and bend him over the kitchen counter and lastly, his back and backside were on fire from the merciless whipping he had received from that cursed leather belt.

The worst part? Vernon wasn't done yet.

Just when the pain had started to become unbearable, there had been a knock on the door. Vernon had cursed and hastily shoved him in the direction of the stairs: _Go to your room, boy! I'll deal with you later._

Fear had sunk its sharp claws deep into Harry's mind. He had completely embarrassed himself by sobbing like a baby, begging Vernon to stop.

Harry had curled up on the bed, wishing that he was anywhere but here.

Then he heard footsteps coming his way and tensed up. But the footsteps were different. They weren't heavy like Vernon's.

The door opened and—

"Pup?"

Shocked, Harry bolted upright, hissing when his backside hit the hard mattress.

No bloody way! He had to be imagining this.

There was no way Sirius could be here, in Privet Drive and inside this rotten house.

Sirius watched as Harry's green eyes widened. Even in the room's dim lighting, he could make out that the boy's hair was tousled, there was a small cut on his lip and tear tracks on his cheeks.

Before he knew it, he had crossed the room and engulfed Harry in a fierce hug, cradling the back of his head.

He immediately removed his hand from his godson's back when the latter hissed in pain.

_I'm so sorry, kiddo._

Harry positively melted into the embrace, tucking his face in the crook of Sirius' neck. He locked his arms around the man's waist like his life depended on it.

He took a few minutes to pull himself together before he spoke.

"Sirius? What are you... what are you doing here?"

Sirius didn't reply. He would explain everything to Harry later. Now, he wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. This was a bloody cursed place.

Harry had no idea about what was going on. All he knew was that Sirius was indeed here in this mundane muggle neighbourhood.

_Did he know?_

"Sirius, I—"

"I'll explain everything once we get home, I promise."

 _Home_. The word sent a thrill through his person. "I'm leaving? Now? But I thought you couldn't l—"

"Screw them all, pup. You're coming with me."

Harry grinned so wide that he felt his busted lip hurt but he didn't care.

Sirius frowned slightly when he observed the boy's face up close. He wiped away the tears and healed the bleeding lip as best as he could.

The rest would have to wait until they were home.

"Where are your things?" His godfather asked, noticing the bare room.

"Locked in the cupboard under the stairs."

He worried when the man's face darkened with anger. "I see. We'll grab them on the way out."

Sirius ruffled his hair gently, a stark contrast to Vernon nearly pulling his hair out.

"Wait for me up here. I'll come and get you shortly. I need to have a word with your aunt and uncle. In the mean time, why don't you see if there's anything in here you want to take with you?"

"But—"

"It won't take long, kiddo."

_Oh he was going to have a word with those vile human beings._

"Okay."

Promising himself that he wouldn't take longer than fifteen minutes, Sirius went downstairs.

He waved his wand, wordlessly casting a privacy ward in the living room. He didn't want Harry listening to the conversation he was about to have with the couple.

He went inside and saw the muggles still frozen together.

Sirius casually took a seat on the sofa opposite the couch, crossing his legs at the knee.

He snapped his fingers at Dudley. "Upstairs, now. The grown ups need to talk."

The parents were relieved and Petunia all but shoved her son towards the stairs. Sirius watched the fat boy wobble up the stairs and for some reason, he was holding his arse with both his hands.

"Tell me something, do you two know why I was in prison?"

"You're a... you're a murderer."

"Indeed."

He didn't tell them the truth about him being innocent.

Fear was a very powerful tool and he intended on taking full advantage of it.

The utter terror on their faces was exactly what he wanted. They had dared to lay a hand on his pup, his precious godson who had a heart of pure gold.

"I was convicted for the murder of thirteen people. I blew them up leaving absolutely no trace of their existence. They arrested me but I escaped."

"Why are you... why are you telling us this?" Vernon asked, his hands shaking.

Sirius wanted to snap the man's wrists and break his fingers one at a time, to watch him bleed and beg for mercy.

Those were the very hands that had beaten and abused his godson, made him feel exposed, afraid and unloved.

Vernon and Petunia Dursley deserved to pay.

"I blew up thirteen innocent _muggles_ ," he said the word like it left a bad taste in his mouth.

"—merely because they got in my way. Imagine what I would do to those who harmed the one person I care about more than anyone else."

Petunia's grip on Vernon's arm tightened in fear.

"Tell me something, Dursley, what would be a fitting punishment for your crimes? Should I drown you in a cauldron of boiling oil? Break every bone in your body? Or should I cut out off those hands you used to hurt Harry? Maybe I should rip your tongue out, simply because I can."

Sirius smirked, allowing a hint of malice into his words. "Or," he flicked his wand and the leather belt on the kitchen counter floated into the kitchen, in front of the muggles.

"I should whip you with this very belt that you used to hurt my godson, a child who never did anything wrong. Whip you until the pain numbs your mind and the only thing you're begging for is death. Sound good, _Vernon_?"

Petunia was stricken while Vernon gulped thickly. Petunia didn't know what to say or do. There was a murderer in her house who just so happened to be her blasted nephew's godfather. She had no idea of what he was about to do to her family.

Vernon was terrified. For the last ten years, he hadn't thought twice about punishing that damn freak of a boy. He hadn't paid any heed to the brat's pleas and cries.

But now, as his own belt hovered dangerously close to his face, he knew that he had made a terrible mistake.

The belt inched closer and he flinched backward, as far as he could. "S-Stop this!"

"Stop? I'm only just getting started." Suddenly, Sirius was out of his seat, slamming Vernon against the kitchen wall.

It was against the laws to use magic against muggles. But, there were no such restrictions regarding grabbing a walrus of a man by the collar and roughing him up a bit.

"Harry was a little boy, a mere baby! You were supposed to love and protect him you bastard! Not abuse him! No child deserves that."

"L—"

Sirius rounded on Petunia, dropping Vernon and letting him slump to the ground. "And you! Don't even get me started with you! She was your sister!

"She was a freak!"

"No, she was a woman who died before she realized what a real bitch her sister is! Your husband mercilessly beat him and you did nothing to stop him. On the contrary, you encouraged him! Even joined in I presume?"

Sirius was livid.

"Tell me, Tuney, how would you feel if someone treated your precious son the way you treated my Harry? To have your boy spend every second in fear, anger and pain? To be mistreated by his own flesh and blood? To be unloved and belittled every single day? You hurt my godson, it's only fair if I... even the scales at least a little bit."

There was no way Sirius was going to lay a finger on Dudley. Child abuse was the one thing he despised above everything else. But Petunia didn't know that.

All she knew was he was an insane, escaped prisoner capable of doing anything.

"Please," she begged, her face white as milk. "Don't hurt Dudley. He's just a child."

"So is Harry. But then you never realised that, did you?"

Sirius shook his head at her, clearly disappointed. "Don't worry, Petunia. I'm not going to harm your son. Like you said, he's just a child. But the two of you on the other hand..."

He looked down at Vernon who was still on the floor. He waved his wand and Petunia shrieked when her husband was lifted off the floor and dumped on the sofa next to her.

If his knee accidentally hit the wooden coffee table hard, Sirius didn't complain.

"First of all, I'm not going to kill you. Or torture you."

"You're not?"

"No. Death is too kind a punishment for someone as rotten as you two. Killing you would mean doing you a kindness that you most certainly do not deserve."

"W-What?"

"You heard me. Why kill you when there are a million other ways to make you suffer?"

Sirius wanted to hex them, jinx and curse them until they were beyond recognition. But unfortunately, the laws were very stringent in regards to Muggles.

He had only just gotten out of prison. He didn't want anymore trouble. He couldn't afford to spend anymore time away from Harry.

There was already a lot to make up for.

"Are you aware that there's a separate section of laws in the Ministry of Magic that deals with Muggle Jurisdiction? And that protection against child abuse and mistreatment is included in said laws?"

"In the eyes of Magical law, you both are criminals and will be brought to trial."

"Criminals?" Petunia's voice was barely above a whisper.

Sirius was pretty certain that if he wasn't a _murderer_ , Petunia Dursley would have screamed herself hoarse, demanding that he leave her precious neighbourhood right that instant.

He narrowed his eyes at her and when he spoke, his voice was soft but menacing. "You were always jealous of Lily. When her son was placed on your doorstep, you took out your insecurities on a baby who never did anything wrong to you. My godson was a baby. He didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of your misplaced hatred and bitterness."

"And you, Vernon. You easily led a little boy to believe that he was a freak, an abomination who didn't deserve to be loved. You and your wife went out of your way to ruin his childhood, to make sure he spent all his time terrified and unhappy." Sirius' voice trembled with raw fury.

They didn't understand the amount of restraint he was exercising at that moment. He wanted to rip them both to shreds.

He knew what it felt like to be the outcast, to be shunned by his own flesh and blood. Sirius had turned angry and mistrustful of all around him. But Harry was still so trusting, innocent and childlike after everything he'd been through.

He would watch them burn.

"I will ruin you. Utterly and thoroughly."

His words were simple and yet absolute. The Dursleys' fate had been sealed.

He would deal with them later. "Goodnight."

He got up from his seat and made towards the stairs to get his godson and leave this godforsaken place.

He stopped and snapped his fingers without turning around. The abandoned leather belt landed on Vernon's thigh with a resounding crack.

The man's painful cry followed by a whimper was like a soothing balm to the fiery, white hot ball of rage inside him.

When he went upstairs, he found Harry standing in the room, almost bouncing on the balls of his feet. There was a flash of worry before the boy's face lit up when he spotted his godfather.

"Ready?"

"Absolutely."

In the living room, Harry saw his aunt and uncle sitting on the couch with identical terrified expressions.

What could Sirius have possibly said to them?

He was worried about what would happen now. So far, he had managed to keep his relatives' antics a secret. But now, his godfather knew everything.

He looked up at the man who was far too occupied glaring at the muggles.

Sirius unlocked the cupboard under the stairs and levitated Harry's things out. He shrunk and pocketed the trunk, broomstick and empty cage.

He caught Harry's worried glance and could practically sense the lad's uneasiness. He gave him a reassuring wink.

They still had a lot to talk about but that was okay. Harry was with him now and he'd make sure that the boy was never hurt again.

Without another backward look at the Dursleys (they would get what they deserve), Sirius led Harry outside and slammed the door shut.

It was chilly outside and he felt the boy shiver next to him. He instructed Harry to grip his arm tightly and got ready to apparate.

"Come on, pup. Let's go home."

 


	3. Chapter 3

They reappeared inside the biggest living room Harry had ever seen. One look at the place and you could easily say that the owner was loaded.

"Why don't you go and sit down over there? I'll see what I can find in the kitchen."

Harry complied and sunk into the sofa, relishing its softness. He kicked off his shoes and tucked his feet up. It was soft enough to reduce the discomfort of his injuries.

Whilst Harry settled down, Sirius searched the kitchen cupboards to see if there was any food. His house elf had told him that she'd restocked the kitchen and he wasn't disappointed.

Dinner would be taken care of.

With a swish of his wand, he set the water boiling.

He went back outside to find that Harry had made himself comfortable on the sofa.

He knew that Harry wasn't looking forward to the conversation they would have to have and neither was he. But it was unavoidable.

"Want to come inside the kitchen? I'm just making dinner."

Harry got off the sofa and followed Sirius to the kitchen. He hadn't said a word since they'd got here and it worried him.

Harry leaned against the counter and watched the man chop the vegetables in quick, precise movements. He didn't know that Sirius knew how to cook.

"I didn't know you cooked."

Sirius looked up and grinned. "My mother claimed it was unbecoming for an heir to resort to such household jobs. So I learned how to cook just to annoy her."

"Oh. Do you um... do you want me to help?" Harry felt the need to make himself useful. He was always the one who did the serving.

"Well, if you can take out the cutlery from that cabinet, that'd be great."

Glad to have something to do, Harry took out two bowls, plates, forks and spoons and set it on the table.

The aroma made his mouth water. It was amazing how magic could speed things up. Tomato soup and chicken ravioli, his favourite combination. Sirius remembered.

His stomach rumbled loud enough for him to be embarrassed.

Once Sirius was done cooking, he brought the bowls to the table. He cast a cushioning charm on Harry's chair, recalling how the boy had flinched.

He served the soup and pasta for the two of them and gestured for Harry to dig in.

"This is brilliant," Harry commented, clearly in love with the food.

"Thanks, pup." They ate in silence. Harry was hungrier than he'd imagined.

Sirius deliberately avoided the topic of Harry's injuries as he didn't want the boy to lose his appetite. The Dursleys probably never fed him enough.

He intended to change that.

Once the plates had been cleared away, Sirius knew that he couldn't put it off any further.

"I need to take a look at your injuries, Harry," he began carefully, waiting for the his godson's reaction.

Harry's fingers curled into the sofa and he tensed up. "I'm fine, Sirius." His voice was small and his eyes were glued to the carpet.

The man covered his godson's hand with his own. "Maybe you're right. But I'll sleep better if I know that you're okay. Please, kiddo. It won't take more than a minute."

He didn't assert or demand that Harry let him treat his wounds.

When the boy finally looked up Sirius saw the fear and uneasiness in his eyes. He didn't ask again but waited for Harry to answer.

Harry weighed his options: embarrassment or a night of discomfort. Finally, his desire to sleep peacefully won out. "Okay."

"Thank you."

Harry pulled his shirt over his head and turned sideways on the sofa, allowing Sirius to inspect his uncle's handiwork.

Raw welts ran across and down the length of his back. Sirius suppressed a wave of fury and quietly worked.

"All done."

"Come on, I'll show you to your room," he said and just like that, Harry's expression brightened. 

Harry was tired. The day's events had worn him out and he wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and curl up. His back felt much better now, thanks to Sirius.

On his way up the stairs, he decided to explore the house the next morning if Sirius was alright with it.

His room was everything he'd imagined and ten times better. It was as large as the living room at Privet Drive but still managed to feel cozy.

The walls were beige and the thick carpet was warm and fuzzy underneath his bare feet. A closet stood in the far corner of the room next to which was a large desk, complete with a table lamp. There was a door which led to the bathroom on the left.

The bed was big enough for three. It was just like his four poster at Hogwarts, only twice as large. There was a lamp on either side on a nightstand.

"We can do the walls up tomorrow, however you like."

"What? No! It's perfect, Sirius, I swear. This is... this is better than anything I had in mind. This is wonderful. I love it. Thank you."

Sirius ruffled his hair and Harry was starting to like the gesture. "I'm glad you like it."

Sirius pulled out Harry's things from his pocket and placed them on the floor. They grew to their normal dimensions.

"I'll be back in a minute. I just need to write to my healer and tell her that I'm not in my room anymore. Don't want the woman to have a heart attack when she comes in to find an empty bed tomorrow."

Sirius' healer, Linda Giovino, while a determined woman, wasn't immune to the irresistible charm of Sirius Black.

He sent her a letter, explaining that he had to leave because of an emergency. He left out the details about the emergency but promised to explain it to her in person the next day.

When he went back to Harry's room, said boy had changed into his pyjamas and gotten into bed and was sitting up, nestled into the pillows with the comforter drawn up to his waist.

"Comfy?"

Harry nodded. He caught the flicker of indecision on his godson's face.

"What is it?"

"How did you know I was... in trouble?"

Sirius sat down on the bed, over the blanket, when the boy shifted to make room for him.

"Firstly, you are a terrible liar, pup, just like James," Sirius began. "Whenever James lied, he always ended up pulling his left ear."

"He did?"

"Yeah and that's something you seemed to have picked up from him," Sirius commented, gently tweaking Harry's ear. "When you came to visit me this morning, you seemed rather low."

Harry didn't realise that he was so easy to read.

"Every time I asked about your time at Privet Drive, you dodged the question. He last straw was when it was time to leave. Your face was utterly miserable, kiddo. And honestly, you looked worried. I don't know why I did it, maybe instinct; but I cast a protection spell on you. I'm glad I did."

Harry grinned sheepishly and gave up fighting the urge and rested his head on his godfather's shoulder.

"I'm glad too."

Sirius didn't comment when Harry's head came to rest on his shoulder. He swung his legs onto the bed and got into a more comfortable position.

"Do you want to talk about it?" The question was casual, almost offhanded.

Harry stiffened against him and when Sirius had thought he wasn't going to say anything, the boy spoke. Two words that broke his heart.

"It hurt."

"They hated me. I tried to make them like me but it never worked. Vernon always got mad at me no matter what I did. Petunia called me a freak and Dudley and his friends beat me."

Harry found that once he has started, he wasn't able to stop.

All the years of pain and hurt came out. He didn't know what made him want to spill his guts Sirius. Maybe it was the casualness in the man's voice or the revelation that someone finally _cared_ about him after all these years. Either way, here he was, pouring his heart out.

He spoke about the continuous beatings, the endless chores, even the time Vernon had burned his hand for turning his muggle teacher's hair blue. He talked about how he had always felt like he was abnormal and lonely.

Somewhere along the way, he had started crying and he just didn't care anymore. He had already embarrassed himself in front of the man so he felt like he had nothing left to lose.

Almost a half hour later, he was done. He was bloody exhausted and glad to be out of that hell hole. He allowed Sirius to take off his glasses and closed his eyes.

The words _I'm sorry_ weren't enough in this case. There was nothing he could do to take away Harry's pain.

He looked down at the child leaning against him and a fierce protectiveness welled up in his chest.

With his free hand, he ruffled Harry's hair. "It's not your fault, pup. You did nothing wrong. What your relatives did, that was unforgivable. You never deserved any of it."

He thought about telling Harry of his own relationship with his parents but chucked the idea. That was a story for another day.

Harry gave his godfather a slight smile.

"Why don't you lie down? Catch up on some sleep, kiddo. I'll wake you for breakfast tomorrow. Any preferences, young sir?"

Harry removed his head from Sirius' shoulder to look at the man. "Anything?"

"Anything."

"Pancakes?"

Sirius smiled indulgently. "Pancakes it is. Chocolate chip pancakes with whipped cream."

Harry couldn't quite explain the warmth that blossomed in him. This whole concept of being taken care of was totally foreign to him.

Harry wiggled down into a reclining position and snuggled underneath the comforter.

He closed his eyes and after a minute or so, he felt cool, long and slightly calloused fingers running through his hair. He smiled drowsily, relishing this new but welcoming feeling.

"Your mum used to do this when you were a baby. You were out like a light within minutes."

No answer.

"Still works I see."

*****

It was well past midnight by the time Sirius could go to his own room. He had waited for Harry to slip into a deep sleep in order to avoid the risk of waking the boy.

He settled in his own bed but couldn't sleep. His mind was still working at an alarming pace. There were so many people to blame for Harry's sorrows.

While the Dursleys had played a major part in the abuse, they weren't alone in this. Albus Dumbledore was the one who had placed Harry in the Dursleys' care in the first place.

The old man had a lot to answer for.

He simply dumped Harry on the Dursleys' doorstep and forgot about him for the next decade or so.

How was that even remotely responsible behaviour?

His mind wandered back to the Dursleys. Somehow, imprisonment just wasn't satisfying enough. He intended to make good on his promise to ruin them utterly.

Just as they had ruined Harry's early childhood.

He recalled Harry's expression when he'd opened the door to his room that evening. No child should ever look so terrified or stricken.

Hell, his own parents were cruel people. But they had given him the basic comforts and luxuries fit for a Black.

Of course, there were those rare instances where Walburga would lose her temper and the Cruciatus would find its way to Sirius. But, at least he hadn't spent every second of his childhood hungry, beaten and afraid.

No, the Blacks firmly believed they were above such mediocrity. So after a certain point, Sirius' family had simply resorted to ignoring his existence.

Because that was so much more _sophisticated_.

He dragged himself back to the present.

The Dursleys wtould regret every single abuse they ever inflicted on someone as pure as Harry Potter.

Unbeknownst to Harry, Sirius also blamed himself for his godson's mistreatment. Had he not been so reckless and gone after that bloody rat, he would've been able to raise Harry and give his pup the childhood he deserved.

_It's no use dwelling on the past, Black. You've got work to do._

He conjured some parchment and ink and scribbled a letter to Dumbledore, informing the old man that he would be paying him a visit the next afternoon. He tied the letter to his owl, Xanon and sent him off.

After that, he wrote another letter to the right authorities regarding the Dursley issue. He obviously left out the details, wanting to convey it to them in person.

Satisfied, he lay down and closed his eyes.

No wrong would go unanswered.

No crime would go unpunished.

*****

The next morning when Harry awoke, he saw that it was nearly ten o' clock.

He'd never woken up this late. Hoping that Sirius wouldn't be too displeased, he quickly brushed his teeth, showered and went downstairs.

His godfather was sitting at the table, reading a letter but he put it down when he saw Harry.

"Morning, pup," he greeted warmly. "Come sit and Becky will get you those pancakes you wanted."

Gracing the man with a smile, Harry took the proffered seat.

"Do you have any plans for the day?"

Harry considered asking. "May I go over to Ron's? He'd invited me over before the term ended."

"That can be arranged."

After breakfast, Sirius wrote to Molly and Arthur Weasley, introducing himself and asking if it would be alright if Harry could visit Ron that afternoon.

He received their reply within an hour, saying that they would be delighted to have him over.

For lunch, Sirius took Harry to the Weasleys' where he received a warm greeting from the Weasley matriarch.

He politely declined her invitation to lunch, stating that he had to go to St. Mungo's which was true.

His healer had agreed to let him stay at home on the proviso that he would show up for his check up for the remainder of the week.

His schedule for the remainder of the day consisted of a meeting with the Headmaster after which he had an appointment with Amelia Bones.

*******

Albus Dumbledore sat in his office, waiting for his former student to show up. The younger man's letter from last night had been curt and vague.

The floo roared and Sirius gracefully stepped out of the fireplace.

"Good afternoon my dear boy." Dumbledore smiled warmly at Sirius but the twinkle in his eyes dimmed a little when he received no greeting from Sirius.

His face bore no expression at all. When he spoke, his voice was tight with anger:

"About damn time we talked, Albus."


	4. Chapter 4

Dumbledore's smile completely faded because of the ice in Sirius' words. He didn't know what he had done to offend the younger man.

Nevertheless, he gestured for Sirius to sit down and was a bit disconcerted when the younger man didn't accept. "Is something bothering you, Sirius?"

"After everything that's happened, you have quite the nerve to ask me that." Sirius' voice was sharp, slicing through the silence like a fiery whip.

"My b—"

"Don't you  _dare_  'my boy _'_  me, Dumbledore!"

Dumbledore was quite taken aback by Sirius' ire. He didn't know what he had done to cause such powerful anger.

"You promised me, you  _swore_  to me that Harry was safe and happy with his Aunt and Uncle."

A small knot formed in Dumbledore's gut. "But he was. The Dursley wards protected him from any external threats that may have otherwise harmed the boy."

Sirius glared at him. "Only external threats, Dumbledore. You never considered the activities that took place on the inside."

"Were you aware of Lily's strained relationship with her sister? Of how Petunia was always jealous and spiteful? She hated all things remotely magical and you go ahead and place Harry at her door. With no explanation other than a  _letter_." His voice curled around the last word in disgust.

"In those ten years, didn't you ever feel the need to check on Harry?"

"Si—"

"To ensure that he was happy? You bloody well didn't!"

Sirius snapped.

"You dumped an innocent baby at the doorstep of a pair of anti-magic muggles and on top of that, you didn't bother to check on him even once! Did you ever pause to even think about the child? Didn't you even wonder for one bloody moment as to why Harry's acceptance letter was addressed to a damn  _cupboard_?"

Dumbledore's silence only fueled Sirius' anger.

"Congratulations, Dumbledore! Your negligence only served to condemn a child to a life of hate, loneliness and abuse! Well done."

Dumbledore swallowed thickly. "I'm s—"

"Zip it, I'm not finished! You have made horrible, irreparable blunders in the past few years. You didn't stop to consider your actions or the consequences they would have for others. All his childhood, Harry never knew a moment's happiness you stupid old b—"

Sirius gripped the edge of the desk until his knuckles turned white. He forced himself to take a deep breath and rein himself in.

"They  _beat_  him. Harry Potter, son of Lily and James Potter,  _my_   _godson_  grew up scared, hungry, unloved and neglected all because you weren't responsible enough."

At the age of one, Harry had probably been the most spoilt baby on the planet with more clothes, toys and love than one could possibly imagine.

Sirius himself had spoilt the baby at every instance. And to think that the very same child had grown up wearing oversized hand-me-downs, slept in a cramped cupboard, did chores way beyond his capacity so that he could  _earn his keep!_ And to top it all, they had treated him worse than one would treat their house elf.

The image of Harry's frightened face, the lashes and welts across his back, his soft voice when he had poured his heart out to Sirius last night and the way he'd given in to the exhaustion was still raw in Sirius' mind.

"I was only acting in young Harry's best interests, Sirius."

"Don't you dare say that! You have no bloody right to say that. Acting in my boy's best interests would have involved a thorough background check on those blasted muggles, periodic  _and_  surprise visits to that mundane neighborhood. If you had done that, you would have seen just how pathetic the conditions at Privet Drive were."

Sorrow took over Dumbledore's face but Sirius couldn't care less.

"Or if you ever had half a brain in the first place, you would never have even  _considered_  the Dursleys an option. But no, you just left him there."

All the respect that he had ever held for the old man in front of him had dissipated in the span of less than twenty four hours.

He was pretty sure that if his parents had been alive, they would've been proud of their blood-traitor son for the dressing down he was currently delivering to Albus Dumbledore.

"I'm sorry, Sirius. I am truly sorry for the pain that my actions caused to Harry. It was never my intent."

Sirius wasn't satisfied. Not one bit.

He sank into one of the chairs opposite Dumbledore and glared at him.

"Your apology means nothing to me. It's too little, too late. Your apology doesn't change or reverse everything my godson went through."

Dumbledore's face was the picture of guilt but Sirius couldn't find it in himself to feel sorry for the man.

Not after everything that had happened.

"I don't want you to express how sorry you are. It will achieve nothing. Instead, I want you to promise me something."

Dumbledore sighed. It was the least he could do. "You have my word that I will fulfill whatever it is that you require of me to the best of my ability."

"Your word alone is no longer good enough, Dumbledore."

The old man's shoulders tensed infinitesimally before they sagged in defeat and the lines and wrinkles on his face suddenly appeared more pronounced.

"It saddens me greatly that you no longer trust me."

Sirius scoffed. "Can you blame me?"

"I'm afraid I'm in no position to do that. I want to make amends, Sirius. What do you need me to do?"

"It's more about what I need you to  _not_  do."

Confusion reigned on Dumbledore's face. "I'm afraid I don't quite understand, Sirius."

"Allow me to elaborate. The goblins are drawing up a Blood Oath as we speak. The terms of which are non negotiable. It should arrive in half an hour or so."

Dumbledore said nothing but his eye twitched, betraying his emotions.

Whilst a Gryffindor, Sirius belonged to the darkest family to ever walk this planet. Apart from being inhumanly cruel, Blacks were intellectuals and shrewd ones at that. They knew their details.

From amongst the Marauders, while Remus scored the best grades, Sirius' intelligence was more widespread. There weren't many things he didn't know.

And from a very young age, he had proved that he wasn't afraid to use his shrewd intelligence to his advantage.

"According to said agreement, you swear never to interfere, manipulate or dictate the terms of the life of Harry James Potter. With Harry's consent, I shall be assuming any and all responsibilities as his legal guardian as in accordance with the will of the late Lily and James Potter. Any authority, which you claimed to have over him, will he declared void. Harry is solely my charge until he comes of age."

Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak but Sirius wasn't finished.

"It was clearly stated in the Potters' will that under no circumstances whatsoever was Harry to be placed under the care of Petunia Dursley. No circumstances whatsoever. Not only did you overstep, but you also disregarded their will."

Dumbledore had no answer.

"You will sign this agreement and adhere to it. I don't have to tell you what happens when you break a Blood Oath that's been drawn by the goblins."

He most certainly didn't.

Such kinds of agreements were rare and few were even aware of their existence. A handful of wizards had endured the goblins' draconian ways.

Breaking such an Oath resulted in an immediate loss of magic that a wizard/ witch was born with. In addition to that, they would be completely cast out of the Wizarding World, all ties cut off.

And Albus Dumbledore could ill afford to lose his powers. There was no doubt that he'd be staying out of Harry's way henceforth.

"Am I understood?"

"As you wish, my boy. I will sign." Dumbledore regretted that his former— and one of the cleverest he'd ever taught— student now viewed him with such disdain.

Sirius didn't say anything after that. He merely sat there silently while they waited for a goblin to show up with the Oath.

About ten minutes later, there was a crack and a goblin appeared out of thin air. Goblins normally didn't leave Gringotts but they did do the occasional favour for old friends.

"Lord Black, Professor Dumbledore," the goblin greeted the two men before proceeding to take out a scroll from his robes. The creature broke the seal and unrolled the parchment before placing it in front of Dumbledore.

The goblin gave said nothing at all but silently did his job. He held out his hand and looked at the headmaster expectantly. The old man held out his hand.

The goblin took out a knife and slashed it expertly across Dumbledore's palm and mumbled something softly.

A quill appeared on the parchment. Silver tipped with a jewel encrusted feather.

With one last sorrowful and apologetic look at Sirius, the old wizard let his blood fall onto the parchment and signed his name. The cut healed immediately.

The knife— which had magically cleaned itself in less than a minute— was then used to make a cut on Sirius' palm as well.

The Animagus signed the Oath as well, effectively sealing Dumbledore's fate.

The moment Sirius lifted the quill off the parchment, Dumbledore felt invisible chains surround his person, enslaving him—body and soul—to the Oath he had just sworn.

The goblin collected the parchment and vanished, just the way it had appeared.

Sirius felt a sense of satisfaction. He'd done his job here. Albums Dumbledore would no longer interfere in Harry's life ever again.

******

After having successfully dealt with the headmaster, Sirius arrived at the DMLE for his meeting with Amelia Bones.

He explained the situation to her, leaving out what he'd done with Dumbledore. That was goblin business after all.

She was justifiably upset on hearing how those muggles had treated the boy-who-lived.

"How exactly do you need my help?"

"I don't want to involve the Wizengamot in this matter. It will only create a lot of unwanted rumours and rubbish and that's the last thing Harry needs right now. The muggle authorities will take care of the issue once they've been notified. I need access to the Dursley file from your muggle archives."

"That can be arranged," Bones replied. "But, there will be a trial. You know that don't you? If you want the Dursley couple to be incarcerated, even in a muggle prison, Mr. Potter will have to speak at his uncle's trial, albeit a muggle court. Are you sure that's what you want for the boy?"

Sirius mentally swore. This was exactly what he'd feared. He would talk to Harry before deciding on the trial.

"I'll talk to him about it. I'll let you know what he decides."

The woman nodded. "Very well. I shall notify muggle authorities about Vernon and Petunia Dursley. Until you talk to Harry, there will be an ongoing investigation. If your godson agrees, the court will issue a subpoena. Other than that, I will owl the Dursley file to you by the end of the day."

"Thank you."

******

When Harry flooed back home, he found Sirius talking to Remus.

"Hey, kiddo," his godfather greeted.

Harry smiled back before raising his eyebrows in greeting to Remus.

"Why don't you go upstairs and draw yourself a bath?" Sirius suggested on noticing Harry's sweaty appearance and the way his hair was plastered to his forehead.

The boy had clearly enjoyed himself at his best mate's place.

"Stay like this any longer and you'll be growing potatoes on your skin," Sirius teased.

Harry rolled his eyes at his godfather, secretly pleased with the fussing. "Okay, okay I'm going," he conceded and bolted up the stairs.

Sirius turned back to see Remus looking at him weirdly. "What?"

The werewolf shook his head. "Nothing. That was oddly... fatherly of you. He listens to you and looks up to you. You're good with him and he's warmed up to you surprisingly quick."

That was true. Although Harry had known Sirius for less than a month, he had gotten attached to his godfather in that short span.

Sirius had never planned on becoming the boy's father. But now, that's what he was, legally at least.

Sirius hadn't told Remus about what had actually happened to Harry at the Dursleys since it wasn't his secret to tell. All he'd said was that Harry was living with him a little earlier than planned.

The only people who knew were Dumbledore and Amelia Bones.

Remus left after a while and Sirius went upstairs to check on Harry.

The boy was sitting on the floor, next to his wardrobe and in front of his open trunk. He was unpacking. His cheeks had a pinkish tinge to them from being scrubbed clean and his hair was damp.

A fond smile tugged on his lips as Sirius watched him. "Pup, you do realise that I could have simply spelled the clothes into the wardrobe?" He had been planning on that.

Harry grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. "I forgot," he mumbled. "Do you mind if I put away my things without magic? I want to sort of... you know?" He gestured to the room around him.

"Not at all, I understand."

Sirius went inside and sat down next to his godson. "I actually want to talk to you about something important," he began.

Uncertain green eyes turned to him. "What about?"

Sirius took a deep breath. "In the Ministry, there's a separate unit that deals with muggle jurisdiction. Particularly for the protection of underage witches and wizards."

"Children," Harry realised.

"Correct. What your relatives did, that was unforgivable. You know that don't you? Do you want your uncle to answer for what he did?"

It was an honest question, void of any judgement. Harry found himself nodding. He  _did_  want Vernon and Petunia Dursley to answer for their mistakes.

There was a small malicious part of him that wanted them to suffer and be afraid, just as he had. But then he immediately felt guilty for thinking that way.

"I spoke to the concerned authorities today regarding the Dursleys' crimes."

"Sirius—" the poor boy's voice was full of apprehension.

"No one will know, pup. I promise." Sirius squeezed Harry's shoulder comfortingly. "It'll be a quick and silent affair, all in the muggle court of law. The Wizarding World won't know a thing. There will be a trial if you agree."

Harry looked at his godfather searchingly. "You're asking for my permission?"

The man nodded. "Of course. I wouldn't do anything unless you were okay with it."

"Will they go to jail?"

"Yes. I'm not sure for how long, but they will."

"What will happen to Dudley?" He didn't want his cousin to be abandoned. As much as he despised his cousin, Dudley had only followed in his parents' footsteps.

"He'll probably go and live with the closest relative."

So Aunt Marge.

"Will I be asked to speak at the trial?"

"Unfortunately yes. But you won't be alone. I'll be right there. Remus too, if you want him."

"I'll do it." Harry's words were soft but sure. He wanted to put this behind him once and for all.

Sirius was going to be there with him and that was more than he could ever ask for. Living with his godfather was going to be a completely new experience.

And Harry couldn't deny that he'd sleep better knowing that his uncle was locked away and would never be able to lay a finger on him again.

Sirius was pleased that Harry had agreed, although if the boy had refused, he wouldn't have pressured him to agree.

Now that Harry had agreed, Sirius decided to send that letter to Amelia.

"Pup, you finish up here, wash up and come downstairs for dinner," he said as he stood up and ruffled Harry's hair. He hesitated for a second before bending down to press a quick kiss to the boy's forehead.

"What's for dinner?"

"Shepherd's pie," Sirius replied and a childlike smile appeared on his godson's face. Another one of his favourites.

He started putting his things away with renewed energy. "I'll be downstairs as fast as I can."

The man laughed and shook his head fondly. "Good boy."

*****

Vernon Dursley had spent the last two days looking over his shoulder, dreading when the freak's murderer of a godfather would show up and make good on his promise.

He had wrapped up his lunch break and was headed back to his office. Hopefully, if he completed this project soon, he'd be moving into a much bigger office in his firm.

He went inside and stopped short. He felt the door close behind him and heard the faint click of the lock.

"Afternoon, Dursley."

How had he gotten in here?

Unlike their previous encounter, this time, Black was properly dressed. He wore a three-piece charcoal grey suit—perfectly tailored—that probably cost more than Vernon's car.

He was lounging in Vernon's chair with a lazy arrogance and a careless smirk that only came from old money.

He had helped himself to a glass of the scotch which Vernon normally reserved for the richer clients.

"Good stuff," the man drawled, swirling the glass. "Do sit down, Dursley. Make yourself at home." Black waved to the chairs on the other side of the desk.

"What are you doing here? How did you get inside?" He nearly yelled, fear betraying him.

"Does it really matter?"

"I demand you leave this instant!" He shouted, his face working itself into an ugly purple colour.

If anyone passed by Vernon's office at that time, all they would see was an obese man standing in the middle of his office and seemingly shouting at his own empty chair.

"Oh I will. I just wanted to watch you open this." He picked up an envelope that hadn't been there on his desk before he'd left.

A heavy unease settled inside him. He plucked the envelope from the man's long fingers and opened it with his meaty ones.

"It's a summons! What's the meaning of this?"

"Very good, so you can read. You must forgive me for having my doubts on that. Read the rest of it will you?"

He was about to protest when Black pulled out his wand and carelessly twirled it between his fingers. "Go on."

All of Vernon's courage fled at the sight of that blasted wooden stick in the other man's hand.

He gulped uneasily and read it. The charges accused him of child abuse: physical and emotional abuse, neglect and mistreatment. He read the rest of it. Other than that, he had also been accused of— his eyes widened dramatically—embezzlement.

His heart pounded, terrified and his mouth went dry.

He couldn't know.

How did Black know about that? He hadn't even told Petunia about it!

He would stand trial two weeks from today.

"You will have to agree to a lawyer provided by the State. Thanks to the embezzlement charges, your finances are currently frozen. You will receive word about that soon enough."

He could feel his hands getting sweaty. His tie was too tight and took away his ability to breathe properly. His suit was thick and uncomfortable. Beads of perspiration trickled down his face.

Black stared at him with barely controlled glee. "I hadn't expected to find out about your embezzlement when I did some digging into your finances and background, but that proved to be a real bonus."

Black stood and buttoned his blazer. "Enjoy your house and this office while you still can. I'll see you in court, Dursley. Thanks for the drink."

And with that, he disappeared into thin air with a loud crack. Vernon was left standing alone in his soon to be ex-office, helplessly clutching the papers that sealed his doom.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: the Dursley trial. I've been wanting to update this story for a long time and I'm so glad I could finally do it.
> 
> This chapter was a real pleasure to write, especially the part where Sirius tears Dumbledore a new one. As you guys might've guessed by now, I'm a real sucker for BAMF!Sirius
> 
> Do comment so that I know how you felt about this chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

With less than eighteen hours to go for the hearing, Harry was starting to get nervous.

As he drew nearer to the ballroom, he could hear the soft notes of the piano coming from inside.

No wonder Sirius hadn't heard him come home through the floo.

He paused at the entrance and saw Sirius playing. The man was thoroughly engrossed and didn't seem to notice Harry standing at the entrance.

Only last week Harry had discovered this particular talent his guardian possessed. He'd come back one evening from Ron's to find Sirius seated at the piano in the manor's ballroom.

Sirius had told him it calmed him.

Harry didn't want to  disturb him. He stood there and watched as the man's fingertips danced across the keys, every touch creating a beautiful sound that resonated in the large empty room.

As he listened to the sound, he felt himself relax and the knot in his chest loosened slightly.

Harry had tried his hand at the piano but had discovered that he wasn't very good at it.

It was only when Sirius was finished that Harry went inside.

His godfather looked up at him and smiled softly. "You're back early."

Harry shrugged with feigned casualness. "I wanted to come back home." _I'm scared._

The man saw right through him.

Sirius scooted to make room for Harry on the bench. "C'mere, kiddo."

Harry sat down next to the man, tucking one leg up. He brought his finger down on a key and the soft note echoed across the room. He did it a few more times, tapping different keys.

Sirius allowed him time to talk and for that, he was grateful.

He wanted to tell the man exactly what was going on inside his head. He wasn't just nervous, he was bloody terrified for the trial.

That morning after breakfast, he had headed over to Ron's and wasn't supposed to be back until tea. But even Quidditch with the Weasleys had failed to distract him.

He tried to formulate the words so that he could convey them to Sirius without sounding pathetic.

He finally gave up. "I'm scared."

The man made a sound to indicate that he was listening and smoothed a hand over his godson's hair, gently entangling his fingers in the thick, unruly mop. Harry leaned into his hand and relaxed some more.

Harry had been denied the basic human need for affection all these years. He practically craved it now.

It had taken the boy a while to initiate a hug without any insecurity or embarrassment. Once Harry had realised that his godfather had no qualms about his behaviour, he'd all but turned into a cuddle-monster.

"Which part?" Sirius asked, running his fingers through Harry's hair.

He shuffled closer to Sirius.

"He'll be there tomorrow and I'm... I tried not to be afraid but I can't."

Sirius caught the frustration in Harry's words and moved the hand from the boy's head to gently squeeze the back of his neck. "It's alright to be afraid, pup."

"It's not."

"Yes it is," Sirius insisted. "It's okay to show that you're afraid, pup. No one will think any less of you." Words which no one had ever told Sirius when he was a child himself.

He remembered his mother's words, her voice icy and harsh: _Feelings and emotions are liabilities, Sirius. They make you weak and vulnerable and you must never be weak._

He mentally shook himself and focussed on the boy next to him. He dropped a kiss on the messy black locks before continuing.

"Vernon can't touch you anymore, love."

"What if I'm not able to talk? What if I falter or make a fool of myself? I'm an idiot, Sirius," Harry muttered. How was it that he could stand up to Voldemort but was terrified of his very muggle uncle?

Sirius paused his ministrations to tap Harry gently on the back of his head. "Don't talk like that, Harry James," he scolded without heat.

"Pup, you're not an idiot. You will do fine tomorrow. You're forgetting that you won't be alone. I'll be there. No one will rush you tomorrow. You will be allowed to take your time, kiddo. It will all turn out fine."

Initially, Remus was supposed to come as well but the full moon this time had taken a toll on him and he hadn't been feeling all that great.

Sirius was well aware that these two weeks hadn't been easy at all for Harry. Talking to their lawyer had been stressful enough, not to mention the fact that he would have to recount all incidents of abuse that had occurred at the Dursley residence in court where numerous eyes would be on him. It was harder still as the court wasn't aware of the existence of the Wizarding World.

Their lawyer herself had only been informed about Sirius' wrongful imprisonment and how Harry had been treated whilst under the care of his relatives.

Amelia has done an excellent job ensuring that there was no mention of the word 'magic' in the whole procedure. It was amazing what a mild _Confundus_ could achieve.

"How can you be so sure? What if they take me away? What if the court decides that I should go back and live with my uncle?"

Sirius felt Harry shudder against him and his heart went out to the boy.

"Pup, no one's going to send you back to the muggles."

"I won't go back, Sirius. I won't."

Sirius squeezed Harry's shoulder reassuringly. "You won't have to, love. I promise."

"Can you play some more?" Harry requested. He enjoyed listening to the soothing melodies.

Turns out Sirius wasn't the only one who was calmed by the piano.

Like godfather like godson.

"Of course."

******

Harry was sure he was going to throw up. He felt the anxiety building up inside him. Despite being calmed last night from Sirius' reassurances, the nervousness had returned tenfold that morning.

Bacon and sausages, which were his two favourite breakfast items, now looked as appetising as Hagrid's rock cakes. He played with his food, determinedly ignoring Sirius' concerned and watchful eyes.

After much coaxing on his godfather's part, he managed to eat a single sausage and down a glass of milk.

The muggle suit that he had to wear felt extremely uncomfortable and he wanted nothing more than to take it off and trade it for a pair of sweatpants and T-shirt. He fidgeted with his tie until Sirius pried his fingers away from the offending piece of cloth.

"It's only for a little while. It will be over sooner than you imagine."

Far too soon for Harry's liking, it was time to leave.

_You can do this, Potter._

******

The last two weeks had been an absolute nightmare for Vernon Dursley and his family.

Local law enforcement had torn his house and office apart, searching for any and every shred of evidence that could be used against him in court.

Thanks to the additional embezzlement charges, every section of his life had been examined with a fine tooth comb: his daily dealings with people, transactions with regular clients, his finances and even his phone calls and mail he had exchanged in the last six months.

After proof of Vernon's embezzlement was uncovered, he had been sacked on the spot.

Because of the child abuse charges against him, Dudley's headmistress has seen it unfit to let the Dursley boy remain at her school. So, until the investigation against Vernon was closed, Dudley had been suspended.

The neighbours had obviously noticed the cops frequenting Number Four and wanted nothing to do with the Dursley family.

Now, he sat in the courtroom, next to his wife, sweating profusely. Their son was currently in the care of their neighbour, Mrs. Figg.

He risked a glance at that freak of a nephew who was sitting next to that terrifying godfather of his.

All too soon, the court was in session.

Harry was barely listening when the lawyer rattled off the charges against his uncle. He was mentally preparing himself for when he'd be called to the stand.

Their lawyer had briefed him and he'd also given his testament under oath privately.

His palms were sweaty and he rubbed them against his trousers, bouncing his leg continuously.

All thought fled his mind when he heard the next words: "We would like to call Vernon Dursley to the stand."

Harry stiffened as he watched his uncle get up and move to the stand.

"Mr. Dursley, is it correct that you were the legal guardian of Harry James Potter until recently?"

"Yes."

"Could you describe your relationship with your nephew?"

Vernon swallowed before he spoke. "The f-Harry was left on my doorstep when he was a year old. My wife and I took him in. We let him sleep under our roof, gave him food and treated him as best we could."

"Mr. Dursley, please describe _your_ relationship with him. Would you consider yourself a suitable guardian for Mr. Potter?"

"Yes."

"Then how would you explain the charges?"

Vernon gulped audibly. "The boy caused trouble at the best of times. I believe it was my right as his guardian to discipline him as I see fit."

"Did you physically discipline him?" The lawyer hid her distaste for the fat man admirably well.

"There were times where it was necessary. I don't believe I... I overstepped. There were times when he misbehaved and needed to learn to toe the line."

"I see. Is that why Mr. Potter had his living quarters inside the cupboard underneath the stairs in your house? We have found evidence that a child used to stay in there. An old blanket, few broken toys and a lumpy mattress."

"The boy never lived inside that cupboard. We gave him a room right next to our Dudley! My nephew would shut himself inside that cupboard every time he threw a tantrum!" Vernon lied.

"Perjury alone carries a sentence of at least five years, Mr. Dursley. Chose your words carefully. We're talking about an innocent child here. How did you physically discipline Mr. Potter?"

"I may have spanked the boy when he deserved it." Vernon replied haughtily.

"Mr. Potter and his godfather, Mr. Black are suing you for first degree child abuse. Mr. Potter was very clear in his testament. You and your wife repeatedly harmed him—physically and emotionally—, starved him and belittled him. Denial will only get you a longer sentence. So, I ask again, did you ever use physically and emotionally abuse your nephew?"

The silence in the courtroom was deafening.

A lot flashed in Vernon's mind in those few short seconds.

His belt which had become a constant in the freak's life. He hadn't hesitated all those years when it came to pulling off his belt to teach his nephew some manners. Those welts across the boy's backside had never moved him. On numerous occasions, he'd even caned the brat and the criss-crossed stripes of red running up and down his back didn't affect him.

Vernon Dursley had been an utter monster to Harry Potter.

He'd slapped him, yanked his hair until the boy's scalp was sore, beaten him and ignored his nephew's begging, twisted his ears until it almost felt like they would tear off. He had picked the boy up by his arm and thrown him into his cupboard or out of the house, he'd even burned the boy's hand over the stove when he'd been in a particularly bad mood.

He hadn't hesitated to scream at the boy for the smallest of infarctions, calling him  all sorts of hurtful names. He had told the freak very often that he was unlovable and didn't deserve to be loved.

None of it have ever bothered him until this day, when he stood in the courtroom.

"Mr. Dursley? Answer the question."

"Yes. Yes, I beat that wretched freak. I'm not sorry."

There it was. A confession before all those who were present.

Sirius saw red the moment Vernon had called Harry that despicable word. He exercised an inordinate amount of restraint to stop himself from beating that bastard bloody in the middle of the courtroom.

_How dare he talk about Harry that way?_

It was only Harry's hand gripping his like a lifeline that made him stay in his seat. He looked down at his godson who had tensed up during Vernon's rant. 

"You're okay, pup," he said, making sure to keep his voice low and soothing.

Everyone wore equally horrified expressions on their faces. The judge was the first to regain composure. "Very well, Mr. Dursley. You may return to your seat."

Next up was Petunia Dursley.

"Mrs. Dursley, were you aware that your husband was physically and emotionally abusing your nephew?"

Petunia's hands were gripping the railing before her and her eyes were averted. "Yes." The word was little above a whisper but everyone heard it.

"And did you ever attempt to stop your husband?"

Her eyes strayed towards her husband who was red in the face. She shook her head ever so slightly.

"A verbal answer if you will, Mrs. Dursley."

"No."

"And why is that?"

There was no answer.

"Did you ever physically and emotionally harm Mr. Potter?"

Petunia's mind recalled the innumerable times she'd slapped the boy harshly across the face, hit him with her pan and encouraged her son and husband to treat the freak the way he deserved.

"Yes."

The lawyer asked Petunia to return to her seat.

It was his turn. Any minute now.

"We'd like to call Mr. Harry Potter to the stand."

Harry say frozen on his seat, unable to move. Giving his testament in a closed room before a single person had been hard enough. It was going to be much harder to look into his relatives' faces and talk about just how much they'd made his life a living hell.

He couldn't do it.

His hands began to shiver and his mouth went dry.

"Harry."

His name snapped him out of his trance. "Sirius, I'm scared," he whispered.

"Pup, you can do it. No one's going to touch you. No one will hurt you ever again, kid."

He looked at his godfather, searching for any sign of lies but all he found was warmth and reassurance.

He could do it.

Determination replaced his fear, not completely but considerably. He turned to look at Sirius who's mouth quirked upward into that gentle smile which always made Harry feel safe. His godfather ruffled his hair.

"Go on, pup."

Harry stood up and made his way to the stand.

He looked at Sirius who offered his trademark wink. _You've got this, kid._

"Mr. Potter, would you describe your life with your Aunt and Uncle?"

Harry stared at his relatives who glared back at him hatefully. In their eyes, he saw the message they'd given him repeatedly over the past decade.

_You're a freak, boy._

_No one cares about you._

_You would have been better off dead with your worthless parents._

_You're unlovable. Who would care about you?_

Harry took a deep breath, tightening his grip on the railing before he spoke.

"I lived inside a cupboard until my eleventh birthday." Harry was taken aback by how sure his voice sounded.

"My aunt and uncle disliked me and made it clear. By the time... by the time I turned four, the chores began. I cleaned the house, cooked, washed the clothes and dishes and tended the garden before I knew how to read."

"I didn't tell anyone because I was afraid and–" he glanced at Sirius hesitantly. He he hadn't even told his godfather the next part. "I felt like I deserved it."

He looked away from Sirius as soon as the words left his mouth, not wanting to see the expression on his godfather's face.

"My uncle beat me, almost regularly and... and I was helpless against him. My aunt did nothing to stop him and sometimes... sometimes she joined in. That's how it always was and there was nothing I could do to stop it."

The silence was thick in the courtroom. Every pair of eyes were trained on Harry and now that he'd finished speaking, the confidence was gone, leaving him self conscious under all their gazes.

His aunt and uncle were stunned. They had never expected him to ever speak out against them. Vernon's face was red, from anger or humiliation, Harry wasn't sure. Petunia was white as a sheet, terrified of what the verdict would be.

"Return to your seat, Mr. Potter."

Feeling all too relieved, Harry got off the stand and back to his place next to Sirius.

"You okay there, kiddo?"

Harry nodded. "I was afraid at first. But then when I started to talk, it became easier." He felt better now that he had unburdened himself. All those secrets that he'd been shouldering for a decade was not his to bear anymore.

The judge struck her gavel and spoke: "The court is adjourned for lunch."

One hour for the verdict.

******

Harry stepped out of the cubicle in the men's restroom and froze when he saw Vernon washing his hands at the wash basin.

Vernon also noticed him at that exact same moment and he whirled around.

"You!"

His face was rapidly turning purple, as it often did when he started to get enraged. Normally, that face never boded well for Harry as it always ended with him hurt—physically and emotionally—, hungry or both.

But today was different. His uncle couldn't lay a finger on him in here, although they were alone.

"After everything my wife and I have done for you, you dare humiliate us this way? We should have never taken you into our home!"

"You beat me. I begged you to stop, to have mercy but you never listened. I never did anything wrong to you or your family but you hated me, just because I'm different." Harry kept his voice even, determined to not flinch or tremble.

Although he knew that Vernon wouldn't hurt him now, years of abuse made him tense and stiff in the man's presence.

Vernon shot him a loathsome look. "Different? You aren't different, boy! You're a filthy, bloody freak! Always will be."

This time, Harry wasn't so successful. He flinched violently and balled his hands. "I'm not," he states forcefully. "I am not a freak. My godfather taught me that."

Sirius had indeed.

The first time Harry had called himself that, Sirius had turned all serious and told him very clearly that he was never to speak like that again. That he wasn't a freak, not one bit.

His godfather's repeated reassurances over the past few days had convinced him that every belittling comment the Dursleys had thrown at him was nothing but a load of bull.

"Yes you go and hide behind that godfather of yours. See how long he puts up with you before kicking you out."

"You're wrong, Uncle Vernon. He's not going to do that. You know why? Because he cares for me. That's something you never did."

Harry wasn't sure where this boldness was coming from, but he wasn't complaining.

Vernon's face turned purple and normally, that face ended with a bruised and hurt Harry. But not today. "I see you've become quite insolent, living with that godfather of yours."

Harry didn't say anything.

"What? Nothing to say?"

Harry shook his head. "I don't need to. I don't have to answer to you, not anymore. After today, I'll never see you again. I am sorry you did what you did. Goodbye, Uncle Vernon."

Harry turned on his heel and walked out of the restroom, leaving a thoroughly defeated, angry man behind.

When Harry went back outside, he saw Sirius standing in the corridor and talking to their lawyer.

The man excused himself when he noticed Harry approaching him. "There you are. We need to g—"

He was cut off when he suddenly found his arms full with one Harry Potter. "What's this for?" He asked, sounding confused but pleased nonetheless.

"No reason," Harry replied, turning a little red.

The man rolled his eyes and ruffled Harry's hair. "You're too cute for your own good, kid." His voice was fond. "Come on now, we've got to get back inside."

******

"Vernon Dursley, you have been proven guilty of first degree child abuse. You shall serve a sentence of twenty years for your crimes. In addition to that, you will be fined ten thousand pounds."

The man's face was white as a sheet, the verdict ringing in his ears.

"Petunia Dursley, you have been proven guilty of second degree child abuse. You shall serve a sentence of fifteen years for your crimes."

"As for your son, he will be placed in the care of Marge Dursley once a background check has been completed. Should Ms. Dursley fail to qualify, your son will be placed in the care of the State."

The gavel was struck and their fates were  sealed.

Harry watched as his aunt and uncle were escorted outside and he felt relief wash over him, now that the whole ordeal was finally over.

He never had to see them ever again.

****

Vernon laid on the bunk in his cell, facing the wall, unable to fall asleep on the hard surface. He'd been trying to find a comfortable position to sleep but had been unsuccessful.

The bed opposite his was empty as he thankfully didn't have a cellmate (yet).

He still couldn't believe he was in prison.

When the guard had led him to his cell, he noticed that it wasn't more than a 10' x 8' rectangle.

The bitter irony.

All these years, he'd forced his nephew to stay inside that blasted cupboard and now he was the one who'd be spending the next several years in a matchbox.

"Can't sleep?"

Vernon bolted upright and whirled around.

From the dim light in the corridor, he could make out a man's outline, sitting on the opposite bed. He didn't have to see the person's face to identify the intruder. He'd know that voice anywhere now.

"Don't bother screaming. No one will hear you. Besides, I'm just here to check on you. Settling in alright, Vernon?"

"How did you get in here?" He whispered, cold fear already seeping into his veins.

"Magic. Duh. I must say, your new quarters are far more cozy than you deserve. A bit tight but not very prison-like. Are all muggle prisons this comfy?"

"Did you just come here to taunt me, Black?" Vernon snapped, backing up against the wall.

"Obviously. You made your greatest mistake when you touched my godson. What did you think I'd do to you?"

The malicious mirth in his tone was gone now, replaced by a cold anger.

"I just wanted to tell you that I've made good on the promise I made you that day."

_I'll ruin you. Utterly and thoroughly._

"You better get comfortable in here, Vernon. It's going to be a _long_ twenty years. Goodnight."

There was a crack and the man was gone.

******

Sirius returned home by around ten o'clock and found Harry curled up on the sofa, asleep. Adorable.

Remus was sitting in an armchair, reading. He looked a little better, less pale than the previous day. The werewolf had come over for dinner and Sirius had asked him to stay until he finished some business with a certain muggle.

"When did he fall asleep?"

"About ten minutes. Poor lad was worn out from the day's events I suppose."

Sirius ran a hand through the boy's hair and hummed in agreement.

"I'll head upstairs and put this one to bed," Sirius said. "I promised to take him to the beach tomorrow. I've got a decade worth of spoiling to make up for."

He looked at Remus who was smirking at him at him a little too smugly? "What?"

"Nothing," the werewolf replied. "Fatherhood's a good look on you, Padfoot. Night."

Sirius rolled his eyes and said goodnight to the other man who then flooed back to his house.

He bent down and scooped the boy into his arms and head for the stairs. Harry didn't make a sound. He was asleep like a baby.

So maybe Sirius was a big softie when it came to Harry. He found that he was perfectly okay with that.

Harry was his pup after all.

*****

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s a wrap, people.


End file.
